Earn credits by reading manga in Kyoto! Yes, it’s true!

Have you ever woken up in a 1,200-year-old city and found yourself only three minutes from the world’s first International Manga Museum?

Well, buckle your seatbelt because CIEE Kyoto has an exciting Japanese Manga and Art program for J-term! You’ll earn three credits in three weeks and get fully immersed into everything that is manga, including its origins, cultural roots, genres and styles, and how it continuously thrives in Japanese society.

In-class lectures and discussions will be enhanced by field trips to Kyoto’s National Museum and Kyoto’s International Manga Museum, home to over 300,000 manga issues, 50,000 of which are openly available for you to read and study. Other excursions include a tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace and the Higashiyama District to experience traditional Kyoto. You’ll also travel to the nearby former capital city of Nara, home of Nara deer park, the Great Buddha Hall at Todaiji Temple, and the Kasuga Grand Shrine.

But you might ask yourself, “How can something as cool as manga be celebrated in a city this ancient?”

Kyoto is the “cultural capital” of Japan – a city with 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, numerous imperial villas, and famous zen-inspired rock gardens – and it has so much more to offer, from modern to traditional. CIEE Kyoto and your housing are conveniently close to some of these attractions and you’re also minutes away from the Karasuma-Oike station to bring you downtown.

“The Japanese Manga & Art program is a great way to immerse yourself in Japan’s history, culture, and dynamic present, while deepening your understanding of manga in its social, artistic, and cultural context,” said CIEE Kyoto Director, Dr. David Satterwhite, who grew up in Kyoto.

PLUS, with the start of the program on December 30, you’ll be on-site to experience Kyoto’s incredible New Year’s Eve celebrations, where the old year is “rung out” with the ringing of giant temple bells 108 times.